The first college move-in weekend that you're not a part of has come and gone and you're slowly accepting the fact that you won't be going back to school this year. Watching Snapchat stories of your old college house and favorite college town bars doesn't help ease the pain, nor does receiving e-mails from your alma mater welcoming you back to campus (please remove me from this e-mail list before I break my phone in half). The only solution to alleviate the harsh transition from college free spirit to lame real person is to keep yourself occupied 24/7. Here's a list of how to make NYC your new college town and keep yourself entertained this first-year post grad:
September: While everyone else has gone back to their respective areas to school supply shop and enjoy all that is syllabus week (...or month), take advantage of the peace and quiet in NYC and hit up one of the cool rooftop bars that monstrous crowds had you avoid all summer.
Snag a cool, scenic, tourist-free Instagram of your drink in the air at Top of the Strand on W 37th btwn. 5th & 6th.
October: Celebrating the weirdest holiday in the home of all Halloween celebrations will trump every lame costume you and your roommates pulled together an hour before the pregame every night of Hallo-week.
People watch like crazy at the 43rd annual Village Halloween Parade on October 31st (on 6th Avenue North of Spring Street to 16th Street from 7:00pm - 10:30pm)
Cheer on the brave souls who run 26.too long miles on November 6th. (There are ALWAYS happy hour specials along the marathon route, so plan accordingly)
December: The month we've all been waiting for. Once Halloween has passed, NYC gets decorated head to toe for Christmas (sorry Thanksgiving). While college students are freaking out over final exams, you can freak out over what you'll wear to this year's SANTACON.
Dress up in your very best Santa outfit and bar crawl around NYC for the happiest day of the Christmas season, Santacon, on December 10th. (For a full list of the participating bars, visit santacon.nyc)
January: Once the most overrated holiday of the year, every year is over (NYE), this month is only good for NYC Restaurant Week, which is music to every post grad's ears. Over 300 restaurants participate in a 3-course lunch or dinner special, allowing you to eat like a real person on a college student's budget.
Check out nycgo.com/restaurant-week as January approaches to create your plan of action.
February: Ignore the lame holiday of Valentine's Day this month and hold out for NYC's annual Beer Week. Bars, pubs, restaurants, and everything in between take part in celebrating all that is beer with happy hours, tastings, and dinner specials.
Beginning February 25th, nycbeerweek.com will post contributing beer-supporting venues.
March: As much as you may have tried to make St. Patrick's Day fun while away from home, nothing compares to being in NYC for the day of all days.
Deck yourself out in anything green or Irish and follow the St. Patrick's Day Parade on 5th Avenue from 44th to 79th Streets.
April: There's never much to do in April other than feverishly attempt to raise your GPA before final exams and pull a lame April Fool's Day joke on your roommate. Pretend to be interested in something you're not this year and go to the NYC International Auto Show.
From April 13th - 23rd, visit the Jacob Javits Center (11th Avenue btwn. 34th & 40th Streets) to meet car-crazed people from around the world that'll cause you to find every happy hour special in a 10-mile radius.
May: Congratulations, you've made it through a year not in college! Celebrate the only way college students know how by taking advantage of free things. May not only acts as an unofficial start to summer, but also begins the NYC Summer Stage Concert Series.
Be sure to bookmark cityparksfoundation.org/events/category/summerstage and never miss a free concert.
